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Archive for August, 2012

Many of us will recall when we watched every national political convention development (Democrat and Republican) on television. With the national conventions just days away if you want to know what is really taking place you had better tune in to social media.

An informational overview was present by the Associated Press over the weekend. It is posted here to help you get prepared (if you a political junkie). Be sure toread andlink up.

A day is a year in politics the old saying goes. In a post just yesterday I made note that I thought dropping Biden and putting Hillary on the ticket would be a game changer in West Virginia. Today (thanks to a tip from my friend Tom O’Neill) I learned the Weekly Standard has two blog posts related to the future of the Obama/Biden ticket.

Earlier this morning they called attention to the President’s schedule. It shows an Oval Office meeting with the Vice President and the Secretary of State. This is followed by a luncheon meeting attended only by the President and Vice President. See the post here. Inside that blog is another link you should read.

It gets more curious in another post just past noon Weekly Standard David Axelrod “won’t rule out Biden being dropped”. Read here.

Obama did not offer an apology or scolding for Biden’s remarks in a People magazine exclusive. In Washington speak that could mean a dark future for Biden but an even tighter presidential race in West Virginia.

It’s a cloudy morning in Elkins so I took a glance at various political newsletters and clipped some of the most interesting. My thanks to POLITICO, Daily Callers, Fox News, Huff Post & NY Times.

THE CAMPAIGN REACHED A NEW LOW YESTERDAY-

BIDEN in Danville, Va.: “Look at what they’re proposing. [Romney] said in the first 100 days, he’s going to let the big banks write their own rules – unchain Wall Street. They’re going to put y’all back in chains.” http://politi.co/OXGaxY

OBAMA in Oskaloosa, Iowa, referred to Seamus the dog while talking about Romney’s quip that windmills cannot be put on top of cars: ‘I don’t know if he’s actually tried that. I know he’s had other things on his car.’ http://politi.co/MZ6Uma

ROMNEY in Chillicothe, Ohio: “Mr. President, take your campaign of division and anger and hate back to Chicago and let us get about rebuilding and reuniting America.” Story from Reid Epstein wrapping up the day: http://politi.co/ROifo7. Here’s the full text of the governor’s speech: http://mi.tt/MZgHse.

GIULIANI SAYS BIDEN LACKS “MENTAL CAPACITY” TO BE VICE PRESIDENT: “I’ve never seen a vice president that has made as many mistakes, said as many stupid things,” former New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani said on CNBC’s Kudlow Report last night. “I mean, there’s a real fear if, God forbid, he ever had to be entrusted with the presidency, whether he really has the mental capacity to handle it. I mean, this guy just isn’t bright. He’s never been bright. He isn’t bright. And people think, ‘Well, he just talks a little too much.’ Actually, he’s just not very smart.” Watch: http://bit.ly/Oi5bFd.

THE MORNING AFTER

MARK HALPERIN, on “Morning Joe”: “Don’t want to overstate it but last night was a big, historical moment, I think, in this campaign. You had the vice president saying something he said in artfully. And now both campaigns are expressing not faux outrage – which is mostly what we see – but genuine outrage. I think the … former governor of Massachusetts was genuinely outraged by what Joe Biden said and about what he perceives as the president’s tactics.

“And I think, based on what happened last night, the president’s team is stunned that the president would be accused of engaging in a campaign of hate. Mitt Romney used the word ‘hate.’ I think he meant it. I think the president’s team was very stunned by it. And I think we’re either – today and the rest of this week – gonna escalate into nuclear war. Or I’d like to see some détente. This is not the kind of campaign I think either of these candidates wants. But it’s really escalated.”

WILLIE GEIST: “It has to be said that if Paul Ryan, the Republican candidate, said that to an African-American audience, there would be calls this morning for him to get out of the race, for Mitt Romney to withdraw from the race. There’s a double standard.”

WV GAME CHANGER

For some time I have thought the replacement of Biden with Hillary would have a huge impact on the WV political results in November. Let’s hope the Obama campaign is not taking advice from Sarah Palin.

PALIN SUGGESTS OBAMA REPLACE BIDEN WITH HILLARY: Reacting to Biden’s chains comment on Greta Van Susteren’s Fox show last night, Sarah Palin said: “There weren’t enough groans and boos when he said such a disgusting comment, really, especially to a demographic there that is — includes about 48 percent of the community being black Americans. Greta, if that’s not the nail in the coffin; really, the strategists there in the Obama campaign have got to look at a diplomatic way of replacing Joe Biden on the ticket with Hillary. And I don’t want to throw out that suggestion and have them actually accept the suggestion because then an Obama-Hillary Clinton ticket would have a darn good chance of winning. But really, Joe Biden really drags down that ticket.” Watch: http://bit.ly/ROHLJE.

BACK TO BIDEN

BIDEN DRIVES THE DAY – AP’s Matthew Daly in Danville, Va.: “Vice President Biden sparked a [told] an audience in southern Virginia that included hundreds of black voters that … the Republican ticket wanted to ‘unchain Wall Street’ by getting rid of regulations Obama signed into law two years ago. He added: ‘They’re going to put y’all back in chains.’… Obama’s campaign stood by Biden, saying the comments were a variation on remarks he makes often about the need to ‘unshackle’ the middle class. ..

“In a less-noticed gaffe Tuesday, Biden told the crowd he was confident their support would help the Obama-Biden ticket carry North Carolina. He was speaking in Virginia at the time. Still, Obama’s campaign sees Biden as one of its most valuable assets. The Scranton, Pa., native has a more natural appeal to working-class voters in battleground states like Ohio and Pennsylvania. He also has willingly embraced the traditional vice presidential attack-dog role, often launching the campaign’s most vigorous criticisms of Romney, and now Romney’s running mate, Paul Ryan.”

–At a rally last night in Wytheville, Biden said he meant “unshackled” instead of “unchained,” per Maggie Haberman: “I’m told that when I made that comment earlier today in Danville, Virginia, the Romney campaign put out a tweet. You know tweets these days? Put out a tweet, went on the airwaves saying, ‘Biden, he’s outrageous in saying that,’ I think I said instead of ‘unshackled,’ ‘unchained.’ ‘Outrageous to say that.’ That’s what we had. I’m using their own words. I got a message for them. If you want to know what’s outrageous, it’s their policies and the effects of their policies on middle class America. That’s what’s outrageous.’

IN 2008, OBAMA ATTACKED MCCAIN FOR CUTTING MEDICARE: ‘How would your golden years turn out under John McCain? His health care plan would cut Medicare by $800 billion — that means a 22 percent cut in benefits. Higher premiums and co-pays … after a lifetime of work, senior’s health care shouldn’t be a gamble. John McCain’s plan, it’s not the change we need.’ http://huff.to/MZiuxs

IN 2005, OBAMA ATTACKED BUSH FOR NOT TAKING ON MEDICARE. BuzzFeed’s Andrew Kaczynski unearths this 40-second clip of saying that George W. Bush should focus on Medicare instead of Social Security because it’s breaking down rapidly: http://bit.ly/QAW1la.

FINALLY

Why Moderates Should Like Paul Ryan

By Ross Douthat (NYT OP-ED Contributor)

The vice-presidential candidate is single-handedly responsible for saving the Republican Party from some of its own worst impulses. Read it here.

Republicans held a state convention in Beckley this weekend…lots of enthusiasm but less than half [215] of the authorized delegates [509] attended…good thing the State Executive Committee [115] met that morning…not sure what this means for the Fall campaign or the Republican movement.

Convention goers were give red meat by their leading candidates…Congresswoman Shelley Moore Capito…led as she had a granddaughter visiting and a son’s engagement party brewing at home…Congressman David McKinley gets stronger and better every day…his speech was a real old fashion “barnburner”…Bill Maloney taking a second run for Governor was more businesslike…and Senate Candidate John Raese…on his fifth statewide race…just cannot wait to debate Sen. Joe Manchin.

Ultra conservative Melody Potter teamed up with Kris Warner who supported former Senator Rick Santorum for President…seems this ultra conservative push to control National Committee positions is going on all over the country…they won over Donna Gosney [strong conservative] and Bill Phillips [that’s me]…both leaders in the WV Romney effort since 2006.

Money is what politics is all about these days…it has even reached the level of selecting partyleaders…that was made an issue in the above election…Gosney said “why not an auction instead of an election”…it’s sad today’s political culture has become all about money, mean and partisan to the point if you are friends with a Democrat it may cost you a party election.

Both partisanship and money got in the way of my candidacy for National Committeeman…in my speech I reminded Committee members the importance of working with Democrats to the success of Governor Underwood’s campaign I ran in 1996…things were more civil in those days…plus I got hit for my wife contributing to Democrats…never try to control your wife.

Ever take a look at the voters registration numbers…if you add up the registered Democrats (640,378), Independent(213,154), Mountain Party (1298) and Other (21,879) that is 598.272 voters…Republicans had 352,941 registered in June…now tell me how you win without Democrats.

Seems Beckley was chosen as the convention site…as party leaders believe candidate Rick Snuffer has the best chance in years to defeat Congressman Nick Joe Rahall…remember Speaker John Boehner visited WV a few weeks ago…raising money for the 3rd District race.

Party Chairman Conrad Lucas aided those pushing the money issue…he issued a three page “Members Alert” to State Committee members…outlining “his expectation” for the new National Committee members…saying he “expected” them to raise $50,000 annually…from new donors… defined new donors as having not contributed in the previous 5 years…great goal but should have been done more than two days before the election…this was really out of line…coming from someone who has only been Chairman since May.

Lucas got his authority from a By-Laws provision Kris Warner pushed while Chairman…he got added to the By-Laws Article about National Committeeman and National Committeewoman…”They shall also perform such other duties as may be assigned to them by the Chairman”….Warner wanted rid of Donna Boley [National Committeewoman at the time] and Bill Pauley [Committeeman]…Warner who was run out as State Chairman after the 2004 election does not take orders…and Lucas wants to control…there is a divide coming that could extend into the membership of the Committee…will be an interesting show to watch.

Convention delegates got an example of that when Lucas attempted to just name…WV Presidential Electors…without nominations from floor…this created a small ruckus and a lot of parliamentary questions.

Lucas slate was to honor those who have served the GOP… Supreme Court Judge John McCuskey, SOS Betty Ireland, State Chair David Tyson, Congressman Mick Staton and Senator Sarah Minear…the convention confirmed his slate.

Other state candidates spoke and a 2012 WV Republican Party Platform was adopted before the day ended.